Recovery: V Plague Book 8 (4 page)

We didn’t encounter
any additional infected on our drive back.  As we pulled up to the base of the
wall, Martinez tossed the line over the edge.  I would have preferred to just
ride the forks up, but the edge of the roof was more than three times as high
as they were capable of reaching.

The rope had
been sitting in the rain the whole time we were gone and was slick as hell,
which made for an interesting climb.  I had a couple of bad moments when my
feet slipped, but I made it.  Colonel Crawford followed, a little slower than
me but not enough to mention.

Katie and
Martinez were soaked and shivering.  Both of them had waited at the edge of the
roof for us to return.  Dog had taken shelter under the belly of the Pave Hawk
but trotted over to see me when I appeared.  Kissing Katie, I got us all moving
towards the bulkhead door.  As I approached I could see the lights in the
stairwell.

“We were
starting to get worried, then the lights came on and we knew you were OK,”
Katie said.

“Piece of
cake,” I said, the Colonel nodding in agreement.

Focusing on
getting us in out of the weather I led the way down the stairs, one cautious
step at a time.  The rifle was up to my shoulder and ready to go.

I wasn’t
confident that everyone that had been in residence was dead from my raid the
other night, and neither was I willing to bet that someone else hadn’t shown up
and moved in.  Dog stayed next to me as I descended, Katie and Martinez right
behind and Colonel Crawford bringing up the rear.  Reaching the bottom step I
paused to check Dog.  He was alert but remained quiet.

Holding up a
clenched fist to signal the rest of the group to freeze in place, I stepped
fully into the VIP area and scanned.  No bad guys and no infected waiting to
pounce.  Moving across the room I stepped over a dark stain on the red carpet
where Martinez had lain bleeding.  Checking the small foyer that was at an
angle to the room I quickly returned to the stairs and signed for the group to
join me.

On the far
side of the space was a large door covered in thickly padded leather.  It was
unlabeled and other than a small kitchen was the only remaining location in the
VIP area where someone could be hiding.  Leading the way, I paused and signaled
for Katie and Martinez to stay in place and watch the rear as Crawford and I checked
whatever was on the other side.  I held a flattened hand in front of Dog’s face
to tell him to stay.

The doorknob
was on the right side of the door and Crawford and I stacked up against the
wall just to the left.  I was in front, closest to the opening, and dropped to
a knee as he tucked in tight against my back.  Gently turning the knob I pushed
the door open and pivoted my body around the doorframe, rifle pointing into the
hallway that was revealed.  Crawford remained standing and swiveled around at
the same time I did so that his rifle was above my head, pointing in the same
direction. 

The hallway
was at least two hundred feet long, ending at a fire door with an emergency
crash bar.  There were five closed doors, three on one side and two on the
other.  A discreet brass number was on each, labeling them one through five. 
Nothing was moving and after a moment Crawford tapped my shoulder.

Standing, I
pushed the entrance door firmly against the wall, taking a second to peek
through the gap on the hinge side to make sure there wasn’t a surprise waiting
for us.  Seeing it was clear I moved into the hall, staying on the left side,
Crawford to my right and slightly behind me.  We moved to the first door on my
side and repeated the room entry process.

The room turned
out to be a suite, almost certainly exclusively reserved for high rollers.  The
floor was marble, the counters granite and the fixtures gleaming gold.  The
furniture was substantial and stylish, subdued art on the walls.  I quickly
checked the entire suite while Crawford remained at the open entrance.  He was
only feet away if I needed backup, but an eye needed to be kept on the hall in
case someone or something came out of another door.

Space
cleared, I rejoined the Colonel and we stepped across to clear the next suite. 
It was as opulent and empty as the first.  Continuing on, we moved down the
hall.  The next suite was clear, then a pair of infected males greeted me when
I opened the door to number 4.  They were both Indians and dressed like casino
workers.  Dropping the rifle to hang on its sling I drew my Kukri and quickly
dispatched them before clearing the rest of the room.

Suite 5 was
situated at an offset from the others so that when the occupants exited they
weren’t directly across from another door.  I expected this one to be the
largest and most luxurious and I wasn’t surprised when I pushed in.  It took me
slightly longer to check the space as it was nearly twice as large as the
others, but it was empty.

“Dibs,” I
mumbled to Crawford as I walked past him into the hallway.

I took a
moment to check the fire door, glad to find it was securely locked as well as
having a stout chain and padlock that would prevent it from being opened.  The
Colonel and I made our way back to the VIP area where Katie, Martinez and Dog
waited for us.  They were behind a long bar, rifles trained in the direction of
the stairs and the exit to the casino floor.

Behind the
bar was a paneled swinging door that blended well with the surrounding wall. 
It led to a small kitchen.

“Did you
check it?”  I asked Martinez in a low voice, tilting my head towards the door.

“Didn’t go
in,” she answered without taking her attention off the area she was responsible
for.  “Just pushed the door open and stuck my head in.  Dog’s keeping an eye on
it.”

I patted
Dog’s head and shot a look at Crawford.  He nodded and we moved to the door, a
moment later pushing it open as both of us aimed into the room.  It was most
likely there to service the five high roller suites.  This time, with the ladies
at our backs, he followed me in and we cleared the space quickly before
returning to the bar.

“All good,”
I said in a low voice.  “Just don’t open number four down that hall.  I left a
mess on the floor.”

“What’s
next?”  Katie asked.

“We’re going
to get some rest, but first this whole building has to be cleared.  I don’t
know if we accounted for everyone when we got you out, and I’m not about to go
to sleep until I know we’re alone.  After that I want to find a maintenance
closet and get some tools to put that door on the roof back in place.

“We stay in
pairs.  You and Martinez remain here and make sure no one slips into this area
behind us, or comes down the stairs.  The Colonel and I are going to take Dog
and go clear the building.”

“Big
building,” Martinez said.  “The power’s on, so why don’t you find the security
office?  I’m betting the cameras are on, and there’s probably not an inch of
floor space in a casino that isn’t covered by video.”

I nodded,
glad she was here.  Digging in my pocket I pulled out two small tactical radios
with earpieces.  I had taken them off the bodies of the two Marines in the
downed Osprey.  Handing one to Martinez I clipped the other to my vest and
inserted the earpiece.  We briefly tested them and I was happy when they
worked.  Giving Katie a quick kiss I headed for the exit to the main floor, Dog
at my side and Colonel Crawford right behind me.

We spaced
out several yards so as not to give anyone lying in wait a nicely bunched up
target.  They might get one of us, but by keeping some distance between us it
would be much harder for an ambusher to get both.  Dog stayed close to me, ears
straight up and nose twitching as we moved.

I had
forgotten just how large the building was.  And how many hiding places there
were.  Martinez was spot on, as usual.  With only two of us we needed an
advantage, and finding security would hopefully give us just that.

We made our
way through the dimly lit interior.  I kept half an eye on Dog, counting on his
keen senses to alert me to any danger before I could detect it, but he remained
quiet.  The smell of the bodies had been noticeable as soon as we’d left the
VIP area and grew as we progressed across the floor.  Soon the stench of decomposition
was nearly overpowering, but it wasn’t anything we hadn’t dealt with before so
we pushed on.

Passing the
poker room that Martinez had assaulted I noted the carnage from the grenades
she had used.  Bodies and body parts were tossed about, blood and other fluids
staining the carpet, furniture and walls.  Nothing was moving and I pushed Dog
farther away so he didn’t step on any of the shattered glass that was scattered
across the floor.

I remembered
seeing an entrance to the administrative offices and suspected that was also
where security would be located.  Reaching a set of heavy wooden doors I tugged
on the handle, but they were secured with an electronic lock and didn’t budge. 
Stepping back I fired a burst into the bolt that held the doors closed.  Wood
splintered, but I had to fire a second burst to damage the mechanism enough to
force it open.

We made
entry into the hall the same way we’d cleared every other space, and it took a
long time to work our way through a rabbit warren of small offices and
cubicles.  The casino apparently had employed a lot of people that worked
behind the scenes.  One of the rooms we’d cleared as we moved through the area
was a large space with banks of monitors mounted to the wall and a control
station that looked like something out of a Sci-Fi movie.

Satisfied
the entire area was clear, we moved to the monitoring room and stepped through
the door.  All of the monitors were dark, but the control station had numerous
lights of different colors glowing softly.  It looked like things hadn’t come
back up when the power was restored.

“You have
any idea what you’re doing?”  Crawford asked me as he turned to check the hall
behind us.

“Nope,” I
said, pulling out a rolling office chair and taking a seat at the station. 
“But it’s not like I’m going to start World War III if I push the wrong button,
so…”

I took a
close look at the buttons, switches and keyboards in front of me.  Everything
was neatly labeled, but it was all technical terms specific to the system and
none of it meant anything to me.  Saying the hell with it, I reached out and
began flipping switches and pushing buttons.

It took some
time but I finally hit the right sequence to activate all the monitors at the
front of the room.  They flared to life, each resolving into a blue screen. 
Several minutes later I finally figured out how to start the computer that ran
the whole thing, a large screen set into the console winking on.

Once the PC
finished its boot sequence it automatically loaded a menu for controlling the
casino cameras and I smiled when I realized it was actually very user
friendly.  I grasped the mouse next to the keyboard and began clicking.  With
each click a monitor changed from blue to a sharp, color image of part of the
casino. 

On the lower
half of the PC monitor a graphic outline of the building appeared with about
five hundred red dots scattered across.  As I activated each camera a
corresponding dot on the schematic changed from red to green, letting me know
what part of the structure I was viewing.  I clicked until all of the monitors
on the wall were in use, but only a small fraction of the dots were green. 
This was going to take a while.

Getting the
hang of the system, I took a video tour of the large property.  When I got to
the VIP area I could see Katie and Martinez still behind the bar, keeping an
eye on the two entrances into the space.  They were talking, but the system
didn’t seem to have sound so I couldn’t listen in.

Rolling
through the cameras I moved up to the roof, getting a clear shot of both
helicopters, then came back down into the building.  I eventually spotted a
maintenance area, making note of where it was.  I kept moving, having failed to
detect any sign of life by the time I’d viewed every location.  But there were
still some areas that didn’t have video.  Restrooms and a few storage closets
couldn’t be viewed.

“We’re in
pretty good shape,” I said to Crawford.  “Have to clear the restrooms and four
closets on the far wall, but I’ve been able to see everything else and it looks
like we’re alone.”

“Let’s get
moving,” he said without taking his attention off our rear.  “I saw some food
in that kitchen that’s calling my name.”

The
restrooms were clear, the only occupant the dead sentry I’d killed while
rescuing Katie.  Once we had checked each of the closets I led the way to the
maintenance area where I had to shoot my way through another electronically secured
door.  Inside, I found some power tools and large screws and tossed them into a
canvas bag.

Approaching
the VIP area I alerted Martinez on the radio to let her know we were coming
in.  We held back until she acknowledged, just in case.  It’s rare, but I’ve
known guys who were the victim of friendly fire because they just suddenly
appeared right where nervous men were watching and waiting for the enemy.  Not
that I didn’t trust Katie and Martinez, but why tempt fate when all I had to do
was make a simple call.

“All quiet. 
We’re alone,” I said when I walked into the room.  Both women visibly relaxed.

“We need
that door fixed and we need food,” I continued.  “Am I going to catch a load of
shit for being sexist if I ask you two to put a meal together while the Colonel
and I go up on the roof to work on the door?”

If it had
just been Martinez I wouldn’t have worried about it.  But with Katie… well,
there’s a reason I’ve been married as long as I have.

“No worries,
sir.  We’ll take care of the women’s work,” Martinez said before Katie could
open her mouth.  “You go kill a bear or whatever.”

The two
women snickered as they turned and pushed through into the kitchen.

“Makes me
think I should have gone to the Bahamas,” Crawford mumbled as we began climbing
the stairs.

“Welcome to
my world, sir.”  I said, stepping through the opening and dropping the tool
bag.

It had taken
a long time to clear the massive building.  The clouds were gone and the sun
was well above the horizon when we stepped out onto the roof.  It was going to
be another hot day.  Sweat immediately popped out when I left the shelter of
the stairwell, but I’d take heat over cold and wet any day of the week.  As
long as you have enough water, heat is just uncomfortable.  Cold and wet? 
That’s downright miserable when you’re in the field.

Crawford
lifted the top edge of the door and walked it into place while I dug through
the tools.  While he held, I drilled several new holes in the doorframe then
drove long, thick screws through into the surrounding structure.  Door secure,
we packed up and headed down to eat.

The meal
they had prepared was simple, and unsure of the last time I’d eaten I devoured
every bite.  Katie is normally a very lite eater, consuming about a third of
the calories that I do, but she ate like a ravenous teenager.  So did Martinez. 
I noted this, wondering if it had something to do with whatever effect the
virus was having on them, but chose not to bring it up and spoil their meal. 
Dog devoured whatever it was they had put together for him, burped loudly and
stretched out under the table.

Bellies
full, Crawford and I cleared the table, returning the dishes to the kitchen and
washing them before all of us headed down the hall to select our rooms.  He and
Martinez each took a room, Katie following me down the hall to Room 5.  We walked
in, Dog leading the way, and I locked the door behind us.

“Wow!” 
Katie said, looking around.  “I always knew there were good things in store if
I stuck with you.”

She looked
over her shoulder at me, smiling as she headed for the bedroom.  I followed
after tightly closing the heavy drapes that covered the window looking out onto
a greenbelt.  By the time I caught up with her she had already stripped off her
meager clothing and cranked on the shower.

“Hot
water!”  She said, holding a hand under the stream. 

She grabbed
a wrapped bar of soap and bottle of shampoo off the granite counter and stepped
under the steaming water.  I tossed a fluffy towel onto the top edge of the
shower wall, stripped and followed her in.

Sometime
later I stepped out, dripping water on the shiny floor and rummaged through the
cabinets.  Thankfully there was a supply of disposable razors.  Back in the
shower Katie shaved my head, careful to avoid all the gashes in my scalp.  Twenty
minutes later I was clean and had a freshly shaved dome and face.

Leaving my
stinking clothes where they were I carried my weapons into the bedroom while
Katie finished showering.  I deposited everything on and near one of the
nightstands before crawling into the bed.  Dog tried to join me but I made him
stay on the floor.  He curled up at the foot of the bed with an indignant
grunt.

The linens
were crisp and smelled like an April shower.  The mattress was firm and the
pillows were soft.  The ceiling fan over the bed turned lazily, stirring the
air and keeping me just cool enough.  I lay my head back, thinking I’d close my
eyes for a few moments until Katie joined me.

I woke to a
dark room, still in the same position.  Katie’s nude body was sprawled across
me, her steady breathing telling me she was asleep.  Careful not to wake her, I
craned my head around to see the clock on the nightstand.  11:37.  Had to be PM
since it was so dark.  We’d just slept almost fourteen hours.

Katie has
always been a lite sleeper, and as I turned back to lay my head down she raised
her face and kissed me as her hand began wandering down my body.  Soon I didn’t
care what time it was.